What Does it Take to Create a Vibrant Place for All?

ACT’s work is driven by a respect for the unique strengths, experiences and diversity of the people of Alexandria. We work with our partners to ensure justice, empathy and opportunity for all Alexandrians.

The upcoming IMPACT Forum is designed to create a place for nonprofit leaders, board members and civic leaders to explore the topic of racial equity. It’s clear that Alexandrians of different races have disparate experiences and opportunities. The Opportunity Index for Northern Virginia, created by the Community Foundation for Northern Virginia, shows that African Americans, Latinos and Asian Americans in Alexandria are less likely to afford a home, more likely to live in poverty and more likely to be unemployed. The Northern Virginia Health Foundation also documented the uneven opportunity landscape in Alexandria in recent research.

We achieve racial equity when race no longer predicts one’s outcomes in life; when everyone has what they need to thrive, no matter what neighborhood they live in, the color of their skill, their gender, or what country they were born in. At ACT, we are beginning to understand what it means to focus on eliminating inequities and increasing success for all. We are learning how we as a community foundation may need to work differently so that we don’t perpetuate inequity and can help ensure that everyone in Alexandria can live to their full potential.

Many nonprofits in Alexandria have a wealth of experience and insights that can help us all understand our community more deeply and why race matters. We invite you to join us and our colleagues on a learning journey at the IMPACT Forum on January 30. Click here to register.